AT last the pressures on teaching staff have been aired (Echo, May 7).

The general public have no idea how much time we spend at home and staying after school for an hour or so on the premises ready to deliver lessons.

Teachers have so-called free lessons but the reality is that often the free lessons can be used up covering for a colleague who may be ill or off school for other reasons.

Teachers quite often take work home.

The pressure on me as a head of science and of year nine meant I often went to school on a Sunday.

I taught for 35 years at a school in Richmond.

In 1998 I was diagnosed as having a stress-related breakdown with anxiety and depression. I had to retire at the early age of 53.

Paul Nicholson, Richmond.